It is common for splash guards, also known as mud flaps, to be employed via attachment rearward of the rear wheels of vehicles. Said splash guards are useful for protecting the rear quarter panels of vehicles as well as following vehicles from flying debris. In order to do so, splash guards must be properly positioned on each vehicle. That is, splash guards must be adjusted to certain specifications of each vehicle, in addition to being adjusted based on the load of that vehicle, such that the splash guard is suspended a certain distance from the ground in order to prevent it from coming in contact with either the ground or the vehicle's moving wheels.
Generally, splash guards are bolted or riveted in place on said vehicles, thus, preventing their loss via semi-permanent attachment. The rivets, or whatever attachment means is employed, have a tendency to corrode while in use. This corrosion prevents the easy adjustment and/or replacement of said splash guards. Furthermore, the attachment means is not, in general, readily accessible or easy to remove. This invention relates to an easily adjustable splash guard for preventing splash-back, for example, of mud and debris, onto the vehicle being driven or into the field of vision of a following vehicle. With the assembly disclosed herein, the user may properly position the mud flap portion of the assembly on the vehicle in relation to the ground, thereby preventing said splash-back. In addition, the user may easily adjust and/or replace the mud flap portion of the assembly--without the use of tools--thereby facilitating the proper usage of same.
The prior art discloses several different types of mud flap or splash guard devices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,412, to Vincent et al., describes a rigid mud flap permanently attached to a vehicle and having a flexible portion that may be removed for replacement thereof. It does not disclose a splash guard that can be easily adjusted in relation to both the vehicle and the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,094, to Haddox, discloses an adjustable mud flap assembly suitable for mounting to a transverse bar member of a trailer hitch and useful for preventing projectiles from impinging on a tow trailer. Said assembly, in fact, prevents splash-back from hitting the trailer in tow by being vertically adjustable, however, it is not intended for attachment directly to the vehicle, it is not easily adjustable, nor is it intended for use in preventing splash-back into the field of view or preventing damage to other vehicles.
Haddox, U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,944, a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,094, describes an improvement thereon. Said assembly is described as having an additional mode of adjustment. It still does not describe an easily adjustable splash guard for attachment directly to the vehicle.
Shortcomings found in the prior art include, for example, the need of tools to make a mud flap position adjustment, mud flaps that do not attach directly to the vehicle leaving the rear quarter panels unprotected, and mud flaps that are not vertically adjustable. The present invention overcomes these drawbacks by integral incorporation of a tool free, vertically adjustable, true splash guard with an assembly that is attached directly to a vehicle and positioned such that the assembly, as a whole, protects the vehicle and any following vehicle from debris splash-back. The assembly of the instant invention is highly suitable for the above-stated purposes as it is made from semi-rigid polymeric material, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene or polystyrene, and has adjustable and replaceable parts. While prior art is suitable for preventing certain back splash, none of the prior art can be easily and efficiently used by the average vehicle owner-operator, nor does it provide the necessary protection from back-splash to the vehicle being driven and the following vehicle. The present invention provides a tool-free, vertically adjustable splash guard assembly, molded from polymeric plastic material--an ideal material of construction for the present invention. Polymeric plastics are durable, tough, will not split or splinter and can be formulated to possess significant fire and chemical retardant properties. Therefore, splash guard assemblies made according to the present invention last a long time and are completely safe for their intended use.